Becoming Infamous
by ll.Saint Iggy K.ll
Summary: Alfred had always dreamed of taking down the pirate named Arthur Kirkland. However, things don't go according to plan.
1. First Voyage

**Please don't mind any mistakes I've made. I've probably made a couple.  
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**Also, I'll try my best with accents, but don't expect miracles.**

**Enjoy~**

**Disclaimer: You know how that goes.**

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**The name Arthur Kirkland was everywhere. No matter where you went or how far you got, the name always seemed to come out of nowhere, and along with it, came fear.

Of course, all the towns that were lined on the ocean always wondered if their home would be next to feel the pirate's wrath. They begged and prayed to be spared since the stories they heard all made them shake like children.

While everyone else was shaking in their boots, Alfred was ready to take the sea dog on. If he defeated Arthur, think of the glory! Everyone would call him their hero and he wouldn't have to do odd jobs just to get a loaf of bread. His brother, Mathew, also wouldn't have to worry so much about money and they both could be so much happier.

All Alfred had to do was get rid of Arthur Kirkland himself.

It took a couple weeks, but finally he was able to get on board a ship. Even though they weren't going after the infamous pirate, Alfred wasn't about to lose a small chance. Besides, if he could show how good he was, more chances would come. At least, he hoped.

"Alfred…I'm not sure about this," a nervous voice said as he looked into his brother's bright blue eyes. The older sibling just shook his head a little and gave him another goofy grin. "C'mon Mattie, we've already been through this. It's only an escort voyage."

Mathew's eyes glanced to the side a bit. "I know, but you're doing this so you can go after that pirate…"

Alfred dropped his bag and grabbed his brother gently by the shoulders. "Look, the chances of us running into him are small. Even if we are escorting the governor's grandsons, I doubt he'll be interested in something so small. What is he going to do with two idiot Italians?"

"Just be careful Alfred and don't do anything reckless."

Then a loud voice boomed over the docks, "All aboard the Hetalia!"

"There's my cue! See ya Mattie. Love ya!" The older brother said, giving the smaller of the two a quick hug before heading off for his first voyage. Mathew watched as his brother made it aboard and waved at him. He waved back, giving him a small smile while silently praying to anyone listening to keep his brother safe from any harm.

A couple days had passed since he had left Mathew on the dock. Being part of the crew was different than what he thought it would be. He was getting sick of all the orders, do this, do that. Though Alfred tried to think of it positively and tried to show off whenever he was told to do something. However, the captain, who was a big German man by the name of Ludwig, always yelled at him.

If that wasn't bad enough, the people they were escorting had always managed to give him a migraine. The older brother, who was named Lovino, had some obsession with his brother named Feliciano. Feliciano always wanted to ask him questions, and sometimes repeated his questions, as if he expected a different answer!

Why was he singled out to be the idiot's friend? Although, whenever they were even close to each other, Lovino was right there and immediately started to bitch.

Plus, Alfred swore that Ludwig had a thing for the younger Italian so sometimes it was a good thing to have him around. Less scolding from the German captain was always a good thing, right?

"Alfred! Alfred!"

Said man groaned as he tried to ignore Feliciano and concentrate mopping the deck. It was a so called punishment for 'accidentally' throwing his soup at another crew member.

"Alfred! Wanna play a card game?" Feliciano asked as he finally got to where the American was mopping. "No Feliciano, I'm busy. If I don't finish this, that German bastard will give me an even bigger migraine." The smile on the Italian's face fell a little, but it brightened straight away.

"Don't worry about it! I'll cover for you. Ludwig likes me!"

'You have no idea,' Alfred thought to himself, but then sighed and shrugged, "Alright, if you say so." The Italian jumped happily, taking the American by the arm and dragging him to a card table in his room where Lovino was also waiting. 'Why do I do this to myself?' Alfred said in his head.

More days had passed and Alfred was going insane! Where was the action! Where was the adventure he craved so much? He didn't expect too much to begin with, but this was ridiculous. There had to be something more exciting than this. Not even a storm had come across their path to cause a little excitement.

Maybe this was a bad idea…

"What's wrong Alfred? Do you want some pasta?" Feliciano asked as he saw the man slumped by the boat's railing. "No…I'm just bored out of my mind."

The Italian nodded and sat next to him with his knees on his chest. "The cooks here are so mean…they don't make pasta that often…and when they do, they ruin it!" Feliciano whined, and almost looked like he had tears in his eyes.

The American raised an eyebrow. "Is pasta all you ever think about?"

The smaller of the two smiled brightly. "Pasta is life. I find no greater joy than when I'm slurping down noodles and tomato sauce."

Alfred was standing by the door that held the Italians inside. It was late into the night and the blonde was having trouble keeping his eyes open. He held tightly onto the gun and tried to look like he was doing his job of guarding, just in case a certain German captain came to check on his love interest.

However, his eyes grew too heavy and he fell asleep, being propped up by the wall behind him, still holding onto his gun like it was a stuffed rabbit.

_BOOOOM!_

Alfred jumped awake at the loud sound and as the boat shook violently. He could hear curses coming from Lovino and frightened cries coming from Feliciano. He opened the door and it flew to the wall, not making a dent though. Immediately, the younger Italian clung to his arm in a panic, "Alfred, what happened!" He said through tears. Lovino also rushed angrily towards his side and was already making threats to whoever woke him up.

"I don't know. I think you two should stay-"The American wasn't able to finish as he felt something click against his head. Lovino and Feliciano closed both of their mouths, but they were already shaking as they could see a man point a pistol at the blondes head.

"Well, that was easier than I thought. You'd think these lads would put up more of a fight, right Ian?" A man with an Irish accent asked to another.

"Guess Arty was right after all. They really are morons!" Another one commented, who had a Scottish accent, laughing a bit as he did so.

They couldn't mean…Arthur Kirkland? Just the thought made Alfred's eyes widen. This…this wasn't supposed to happen! Sure, he dreamt of meeting the pirate and taking him down, but this wasn't the exact scenario he pictured. What always came to mind was a one on one battle on a sandy beach of some island in the Pacific, swords clashing and a storm brewing overhead. Then, with a swift thrust, Alfred would have pierced the black heart that belonged to the pirate and he would go down in a pained scream.

"Alright, I want no funny business from any of you. Blondie, give me your gun," the Irish man ordered. Alfred narrowed his eyes and slowly reached behind his back with the hand was holding the gun and felt it being taken away from him. Somehow, the action made him feel more vulnerable.

"Now, you're gonna put your hands on yer head and follow us like good dogs."

The American seriously wanted to kill the two men that were holding them hostage, but he was powerless at the moment. Plus, he also had two Italian brothers to care for, which were cowering beside him.

The trio was led to the deck where they could see their fellow men being tied up and be beaten to a bloody pulp. Feliciano cringed while Lovino looked away. Alfred only gritted his teeth and sent a death glare to every pirate that was invading the ship. However, it wasn't doing anything to the targets.

Then, they were brought upon the pirate ship by ropes. The pirates were scurrying across the deck doing their duties, but occasionally they looked at their hostages as they were being shoved off to the brig. All three of them were put in the same cell and the two brothers clung to Alfred. The American knew Feliciano would do something like that, but Lovino was a bit of a surprise. He supposed it showed how scared they truly were.

Alfred tried to keep himself strong, although he was a bit scared himself, he would never admit it. The blonde wanted to keep himself composed so it would be of some sort of comfort to the other two.

"Were doomed, doomed!" Feliciano cried as he clung onto Alfred's arm. "Please don't hurt me! Please, I'll do whatever you want, just don't hurt me!"

"Shut up!" Lovino said, trying to be angry when he was actually just as scared as his brother. Though it didn't stop the younger one from crying and it just made Lovino complain even more.

"I'll punch you both out of you two don't shut up!" Alfred yelled, which made them both stop, except for an occasional sniffle coming from Feliciano. Then a new voice sounded that none of them recognized.

"Why are there three of them Thomas?" The voice asked in a British accent.

"Well…I guess he was 'guarding' the door and well…I guess we couldn't help ourselves," the man with the Irish accent said. The three of them looked and their eyes widened at the sight. "A-Arthur Kirkland," the young Italian said in a shaky voice.

Green eyes narrowed as he came right up against the bars of the cell. The two Italians hid behind the American, who stood firm and glared right back at the Englishmen. So, this was Arthur Kirkland, a short, big browed man with sandy blonde hair and emerald eyes.

"Well, there's no sense in keeping all three of them," the pirate said as he pulled out a shiny black pistol, pointing it straight at Alfred's head. "Cheerio then, American."


	2. Getting To Know The Crew

**I'm surprised so many had put this story on their alerts/favorites list. That does flatter me, but I wouldn't mind a couple more reviews. Thank you to those who did review on the last chapter such as: Kang Jae Gyu, Lizzzers, Soot, StarGazer453, lonely-waltz, and raimutt.**

**As always, I hope you find this chapter just as good as the first. Tell me what you think and maybe any ideas you have.**

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**Enjoy~**

With the gun pointed straight at him, Alfred's heart froze. Was this going to be the end of him? He couldn't believe that his life could end by a single bullet. What was worse was that the bullet was coming from a pirate who he couldn't stand. It was supposed to be him to bring Arthur down, not the other way around!

Then his blue eyes widened as he saw the Englishmen press onto the trigger harder. The situation seemed hopeless as he had no weapon or form of protection. He was a trapped rat. 'This is it…this is really going to be the end…I'm sorry Matt…and I'm sorry you dumb Italians…' he thought to himself.

As the American prepared for the oncoming bullet, instead of a sound of a shot, an annoying voice whined quite loudly. "Please don't shoot Alfred! He's a good guy, honest! We'll do whatever you want! We'll be no trouble, just don't hurt us!" Feliciano cried as he clung onto Alfred for dear life. His arm was about to go numb, if it wasn't already…

Lovino glared at his younger brother for making them look stupid and weak, but honestly he didn't want the American to die either. For some reason, he felt safer when the other was around, especially in this kind of situation.

"Please Mr. Kirkland…have mercy…" Feliciano sniffled. Alfred gave him a sympathetic look, feeling bad for him. The look on his face was making him want to hug the other and tell him it was going to be alright. However, when he looked at the pirate, it didn't seem to have the same affect. His expression was stern, but he seemed to be contemplating something in his head. Maybe a part of the young Italian's charm had affected him after all, or at least he hoped.

Then, a miracle happened and it shocked everyone, including the Irishman and Scotsman beside him. Arthur Kirkland had put the gun back in its place without firing at the intended target. The trio began to breathe normally again.

"Thomas, Ian, put these three to work. Keep an eye on them," the captain said as he turned around and started to walk away. "But sir, what would we do with these three idiots? I thought you only wanted the two brothers?" Thomas asked.

Arthur sighed and turned his head, giving an annoyed expression. "Since when do you question me?" Thomas gulped and smiled nervously. "I'm not questioning you I'm just…curious is all."

"Do you know the saying curiosity killed the cat? Maybe we should change it to curiosity killed the Irishman. However, just to amuse you blokes, it's because of that damn frog we had a fight with not too long ago. Were a few men short and it would be a waste not putting them to work. Give whatever jobs you want, just nothing to hard. I don't need my boat sinking to the bottom of the sea."

Alfred balled up his fists at practically being called an idiot. Oh, how he wished he could just break free and choke the damn pompous bastard! He was about to open his mouth when he remembered he had two people to look after. He couldn't risk getting himself killed.

'Just be careful Alfred and don't do anything reckless,' Mathew's voice then popped into his head. He also had a little brother that was waiting for his safe return. Alfred had to stay alive, even if it meant keeping his mouth shut for awhile.

* * *

Wet mops and brushes were sloshing water across the deck in simple back and forth motions. The American and the Italians were given the task of 'swabbing the deck' as Ian had put it. "Why am I always getting the mopping?" Alfred said to no one in particular as he dipped the old mop into the wooden bucket angrily, taking it out again and getting water everywhere.

"Keep talking to yourself and there're going to think you're crazy," Lovino said as he was on his knees, having to use a brush instead of a mop. It was the same with his brother. Alfred then threw the mop to the wooden deck below. "Well good, I don't give a damn!"

"Hey! Get back to work!" Thomas yelled at him, watching from the upper deck. His arms were folded against the railing and his green eyes glared at the American below him. Alfred muttered, careful not to let the Irishmen hear him, while he picked up the mop again and continued his work.

That was, until a high pitched squeal sounded. "Ow! Ow! Splinter! I got a splinter!" Feliciano said while giving his hurt thumb small kisses. "You're such an idiot!" Lovino said, tempted to throw the brush at his brother's head, but it probably didn't need any more damage.

Alfred sighed and crouched down, taking the hurt hand and looking at the thumb. He was thankful that he could see the small piece of wood sticking out of the skin. The American took it out and Feliciano smiled happily. "Thank you Alfred," he said. Alfred gave him a small smile, but it soon turned into a frown when they were scolded again by their warden to get back to work.

"I never thought I could hate an Irishman so much…"

* * *

Lovino sighed looking at his hands. They were slightly red from all the scrubbing they had to do. It was the same for his fellow hostages, although Feliciano still kept complaining off all the splinters that were stuck in his hands, making Alfred keep picking them out as they stood in line for a meal. They were made to wait last of course.

Though it gave them a chance to see what kind of crew manned the pirate boat. They seemed to have come from everywhere. Immediately they spotted Ian and Thomas at a table, drinking what was probably rum and getting drunk of their asses.

They continued to look around and saw a man that looked to be from Japan and another man sitting next to him who looked Chinese. The Chinese man was trying to teach the other something that was in a book, but it was clear that the Japanese boy was paying no attention to him whatsoever.

Looking at the other tables, they saw a Swiss man, a girl from Liechtenstein, and an Austrian sitting together at one table. The girl was smiling sweetly, eating her food while the Swiss and Austrian seemed to have an intense staring contest.

Then, sitting at a table all by herself, a girl who looked like she was from the country Belarus was scowling at them, making Feliciano flinch. "I don't like these people," he whispered to Alfred and Lovino. "They're all weird."

"Speak for yourself Feliciano," Lovino told him as he made his way to finally get his food. He was starving! Finally, some food after a hard day's work, even though he didn't do much by only scrubbing a single spot on the whole deck, making the other two work harder. Though it didn't stop his stomach from wanting it to eat at itself.

Grabbing the only thing available, which was a cracked bowl, he got up to the cook, who was a large Russian man. Lovino blinked when the taller man smiling innocently, but it was giving the Italian the creeps. He wasn't sure he should even eat anything this man served him, until a loud growl came from his stomach.

The Russian chuckled a bit. "Hungary, little Italian?"

Alfred and Feliciano made their way to where the other was standing and instantly got the bad vibe. Lovino though, tried to be a show off and shoved the bowl right at the Russian's face. "F-Fill it up already," he said, trying to sound intimidating, but it practically came out as a shaky whisper.

The cook simply smiled and poured the food into the bowl, which looked to be a soup that was made from all sorts of various things. Lovino's face went green as he watched the contents swim about, not wanting to know how it was made. Alfred looked to and his face became the same color.

"What kind of crap is this?" Alfred had said, but before anyone could answer, the small Italian held out his bowl to the tall Russian, giving off a nervous smile.

"Umm…do you have any pasta?" Feliciano asked hopefully.

"Pasta? Hmm…I'll see what I can do," he replied while he disappeared from behind the counter and went into a back room. Feliciano smiled happily. "They have pasta! They have pasta!"

"Umm…I wouldn't get my hopes up if I was you," Alfred warned, wondering what exactly the Russian was planning to give him. Finally, the cook came back with another pot that was identical to the other and took the bowl from the others hand, filling it up and handing it back.

What was in the bowl was not pasta. It looked like soup, only it also looked as if there were small animal limbs in it. "Eat up," the cook said smiling as he watched the Italian faint.

* * *

Alfred and Lovino were in a small room, filled with various crates and two beds, watching as the other Italian slept on a bed before them. They were a bit surprised that they had a doctor on board, although they hadn't met him yet. When Feliciano fainted, the Russian told them where to bring the smaller man to get treated. Plus, he said to tell the doctor, who was apparently named Antonio, that Ivan sends his regards.

The two were sitting on what looked to be tea crates and waited to see the good doctor, but it seemed to take forever, as all doctors do.

"Sorry I'm late! Where's the patient?" A Spanish man said as he walked into the room. "The one that's on the bed, where else?" Alfred said, annoyed. Antonio went for a closer look, mostly looking at the sleeping face. "Hm…he's a cute one," he commented, smiling slightly.

"Hey! Leave my brother alone!" Lovino instantly yelled while getting up from his seat, ready to punch the Spaniard. The 'good' doctor took a couple steps away and put his hands up in self defense. "It was just a harmless comment! Nothing to worry about!" he said nervously.

Lovino sat down again, muttering how he could easily kill the other man while Alfred just rolled his eyes. "So…all we have to do is wait till he wakes up, right?"

Antonio nodded, "I suppose so."

Alfred tilted his head a little, "What do you mean you suppose so?"

The Spaniard then looked a little nervous and tried to give a smile to the other. "Well, I really have no medical experience. I know how to bandage people up and stuff like that, but I'm useless when it comes to anything else."

"I feel so much safer…" Lovino grumbled and Alfred couldn't agree more. Though, the supposed doctor continued. "Don't worry about it. He just fainted and will wake up when he wants to. Don't let Ivan get to you either. All you have to do is avoid him and soon he'll give you normal food soon enough."

Alfred stood up angrily and grabbed Antonio by the shirt. "As if I would trust that bastard with food! The soup he gave to Feliciano made him sick and looked like it had animal parts in it!"

The doctor quivered in the American's grasp. "H-He's just messing with you. Ivan does that to everyone at first, but as you become more a part of the crew, he'll give you what you'll need. After all, he doesn't want to cross the captain in any way."

"I don't want to become a part of this crew! I'll see you pirates all to Hell before I ever even consider it!" Alfred yelled in his face, making Antonio shake even more.

"I wouldn't want you to be a part of this crew either stupid American so be thankful for that," a familiar voice rang in their ears. They looked towards the door to see none other than Arthur Kirkland. Alfred dropped the Spaniard back onto his old chair. "I have a name ya know. It's Alfred F. Jones!"

Lovino then stood up to, getting a bit of courage from the blonde. "And m-my name is L-lovino Vargas," he said, trying to sound brave once again.

Emerald eyes narrowed dangerously at them. "This is my ship, and I'll call you whatever I please. "

Alfred's anger burst as he flew towards the Englishmen, ready to deliver a fist right into his big browed face. Though, when he was supposed to hit him, he missed and felt his hair being grabbed from behind and his face being shoved into the wall. Lovino looked wide eyed as he saw Alfred not moving, meaning he must have blacked out from the impact. The Briton was surely strong.

Arthur, who still held the American's head into the wall, looked at Lovino. "You wanna try?" Slowly, the Italian shook his. He was a bit surprised that the sound didn't wake his brother, who was oblivious to the whole thing.

The captain gave a small smirk. "As you wish," he told him, and then looked at Antonio. "I expect a cup of tea in my room in a couple minutes."

Antonio stiffly nodded, not even looking at the leader of the crew. Then, Arthur started dragging Alfred by his coat. Blood dripped from his face and Lovino wanted to know what was going to happen next, though he was too afraid to ask or follow.


	3. Boat Full Of Psychos

**First off, I would like to thank the people who have reviewed the last chapter. Thank you raimutt, StarGazer453, otaku no baka, and MyEternalSilence8. Thank you for much!**

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**The town was as busy as usual while the sun blared upon the people below. It was another beautiful summer day and everyone was taking advantage of it, except for Mathew, who was currently washing the dishes.

"Why hasn't he sent me a letter or something?" The blonde muttered to himself, scrubbing even harder as his thoughts were on his brother. His mind was always on Alfred these days and not hearing a thing wasn't good for his nerves. He felt like a mother honestly, but he couldn't help it since Alfred was all he had.

"Maybe he's doing it on purpose," he said to himself. That was the only thought that reassured him that he would get a letter any day now. The American always seemed to be doing things like this, but Mathew couldn't stay mad at him for very long. It was hard for anyone to stay angry at the older brother.

* * *

However, there was an exception for a certain Englishman who was currently holding a bucket full of water over a sleeping Alfred.

"Time to wake up," he said as he threw the icy water upon the American.

Said American sat up instantly, sputtering curses and wiping away the cold water from his face. "What the Hell was that for?"

"You needed a wake up call," Arthur said, setting the wooden bucket in a corner of the room. The room was like a large office with books lining the shelves, maps and globes, tea sets, and a large desk. Not to mention a British flag adorning one of the walls, along with a pirate's flag beneath it.

Alfred stood up, still feeling chilled since the water had also soaked his clothes. "There are better ways to wake someone up," he told him, feeling anger welling up inside of him. All he wanted to do at the moment was beat the British bastard till he died, but when he tried that the last time; it didn't work out well, making him a bit hesitant to try something like that again.

"Maybe, but the cold water got the job done," Arthur replied as he walked behind his desk and sat down, taking a sip from a warm cup of tea.

Alfred scrunched up his nose a bit at just thinking of drinking tea. His brother made him try it once and he instantly spat it back up. It was just another reason to hate the English captain.

"Well, thanks for the wakeup call, but I gotta go," The American said as he was making his way to the door. When his hand touched the knob, that annoyed voice sounded again.

"Don't you know it's rude to walk out on somebody when there talking to you? Honestly, Americans have no manners whatsoever."

Alfred turned around, his face red as if he was about to explode. "You call smashing someones face in the wall and pouring water on them manners?"

"It's what you deserved, you twat," Arthur replied, taking another sip of tea. The American waked straight up to the desk, slamming his hands on the wooden top. "That's bullshit! You think that I'll obey your every whim just because I'm a hostage?"

Arthur sighed, "Americans are so rebellious. You people really need to learn your place."

The blonde's fists balled up again, ready to pound in that face, but he was hesitant from the last time. The captain raised his eyebrows and tilted his head, hands folded beneath his chin. "What? You wanna try again? Go ahead, give me your best shot," Arthur taunted.

Before Alfred could make a move, a knock sounded from the door, making the two both perk up their heads. "Come in," the Briton said.

The door opened to reveal a tall figure who the American recognized instantly. "You're that damn cook Ivan!"

The Russian smiled happily at the other. "I'm glad you remembered me. Did you enjoy your meal?"

Alfred turned around, ready to yell at the taller man, but the Englishman beat him to it. "Thank you for coming Mr. Braginski."

Ivan turned his head and nodded towards his captain. "Of course Captain Kirkland," he replied. "What was it you wanted to see me about?"

Alfred looked between the two. The two men he hated the most at the moment were in the same room. Maybe it was karma, or just plain old bad luck, but he suddenly became a bit curious as to what they were about to discuss in front of him.

"I wanted to see you because I'm sick of dealing with this idiot American. I figured that since Toris is no longer with us, you could use an extra hand in the kitchen. Besides, you two seem well acquainted already."

"Wait, you're not planning on making me work with that guy, are you?" Alfred asked.

Arthur rolled his eyes. "You see? It's like speaking to a child. Do I need to speak slower?"

The American glared, but soon he blinked when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry captain; I'll take good care of him. I'm sure we'll get along just fine."

Arthur then waved his hand, as if to shoo them off. Ivan practically shoved Alfred out of the door until he stomped his foot. "I can walk!"

The Russian just smiled and nodded. "Good. I would hate to have to carry you around like a big baby. You'll be of no use then. Hopefully you'll be just as good as Toris with the help. He was always my favorite."

They were making their way towards the kitchen. Alfred walked a little behind the taller male, but he could already feel the hairs on his neck rise.

'Why me? Am I really a bad person to deserve this?' The blonde thought to himself. Though, as he was thinking of his new predicament, his thoughts wandered to the man that they called Toris. The damn Briton said that he was no longer with them…so what happened to him?

When they made it to the door of the kitchen, Alfred had to ask. "So…what happened to that Toris guy anyway?"

Ivan turned around and looked at him. At first, it was like he didn't know who was he was talking about, until a small, dangerous smile spread across his lips. "Come in and I'll tell you."

Alfred was skeptical about going in, expecting some sort of torture chamber inside, but it looked like any other kitchen with pots and pans, food, table and chairs, and with a couple sunflowers here and there. The American let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding.

"You can sit down if you like," the other said as he sat down at one of the chairs. The younger male sat across from him. This just seemed too normal to Alfred and he was instantly suspicious, expecting the Russian to go into psycho mode and make him into a soup.

'That was what probably happened to Toris…' Alfred thought to himself, thinking of the soup that was given to Feliciano. The image just made him shiver and it seemed to make the other man smile.

"Toris was from Lithuania. Ever since he came aboard, he helped me in the kitchen and he was a very good helper. Although, when we had that fight with the Frenchman, he didn't make it. It was such a shame."

Alfred blinked at the cook. So…he didn't make him into a soup? Could he really believe his story? Ivan could see that the man didn't believe his story. "You don't have to believe me, but it's the truth."

"Yeah, whatever you say," he said in a sarcastic tone. The Russian chuckled before standing up. "Well, you're under my care then and you're here to work so let's get you started. I suppose we should start with something easy."

The American's eyes narrowed. "Go to Hell!"

Ivan just smiled at the other man before pointing to a rather large pile of dishes. "I think they're calling you."

* * *

Alfred had washed every dirty dish that was on that pile. His hands were wrinkled and seemed a little slimy. Drying the last plate, he took a deep breath, finally being done. It seemed to take hours to do that one chore.

The Russian was gone and even though he said not to leave the kitchen, he was worried about his fellow hostages. He walked out the door and started to search the boat for his two Italian friends. The first stop was at the doctor's room.

Knocking on the door, he waited before pounding on it until a sleepy Spaniard finally opened the door.

"Can I help you?"

"Where are Feliciano and Lovino?"

Antonio blinked his tired eyes and smiled, "Oh, those two little brothers that you were with earlier? Well, the cute one woke up a couple minutes after you were dragged away and they left afterwards."

"You have no idea where?"

The doctor shook his head, "Sorry, can't help you there," he replied before closing the door again to probably continue his nap.

"Thanks for the help doc," Alfred muttered.

* * *

The blonde continued his search until he heard a familiar voice. "Alfred! Alfred, help me!" The voice of Feliciano screamed as he ran towards the taller man. Instantly, his arms wrapped tightly around him. The American was glad to have finally found one of them, but…

"Where's Lovino?"

The Italian let go of the other and whined, "We split up! There was this crazy woman chasing us saying that we caused problems for her brother, but we don't even know her brother."

'This ship is full of psychos…' Alfred thought.

"Well, we should start looking then. We wouldn't want that crazy lady finding him first," he told him. Feliciano nodded and clung onto his arm, making it go numb yet again.

They walked together and searched for any sign of Lovino, but it seemed as if he had vanished. It was making the younger brother sick with worry. "What if she found him? Do you think he'll still be alive? What if he-"

"Feliciano!" Alfred yelled, making the other stop his rambling. He wished he didn't make it sound so harsh, but he couldn't stand all those terrible thoughts.

"I know you're worried about your brother, but you can't go around thinking things like that. It doesn't help a thing," he advised. It seemed to have helped the other as he gave a small smile. The American gave a small smile back.

"Ahhhh! Get this crazy bitch away from me!" Lovino yelled as he turned a corner, instantly running into the other two.

The younger brother latched himself onto his sibling, "Lovino, your okay! I'm so happy! So, so happy!" Feliciano said snuggling him, but the other just tried to push him off. Alfred sighed and helped the two up from the floor. Lovino was panting and bending over, with his hands on his knees. Feliciano looked worriedly at him. "Are you okay?"

"Do I look okay? I've been running around this whole entire ship trying to get away from her!" Lovino told them, trying to get his breathe at the same time. The Italian looked as if he would fall over any minute. Then, they heard pounding of footsteps.

"How dare you…how dare you!" A woman yelled as she came around the corner. She was holding a rather large knife in one hand and was ready to strike all three of them. Lovino and Feliciano were already at the other end of the wall before Alfred noticed them missing.

"Come on Alfred! Run!" They said in unison before leaving the American. As he turned around to run, she swung the knife, making the blonde dodge, but also fall on the wooden floor. The knife was sung again and Alfred tried defending himself while also closing his eyes, preparing for the evitable.

'This can't be happening! I'm going to die!' he screamed in his head.

Though, right before it hit him, it was stopped. "Sister…please don't kill him."

The American blinked open his eyes and saw Ivan holding onto the crazy woman's wrist. The knife clattered to the floor and it was like in an instant change.

"But brother, he's nothing but an idiot. It was bad enough to have Toris in my way, but now I have someone like him in my way to? Were supposed to be married!" The girl said as she clung to his arm, making the taller man want to pull away.

"I don't want to marry you! Let go!" Ivan yelled, finally able to pull away. As he ran, he picked up Alfred and fled to the kitchen, locking the door with multiple locks.

"Thank God…I thought I was going to die…" Alfred said.

Then, an intense aura filled the entire kitchen, making the American looked towards the Russian where it was emanating from.

"Who said you were safe?"


	4. Causing Trouble

**First of all, I would, of course, like to thank those who have reviewed on the last chapter.**

**Thank you raimutt, Kang Jae Gyu, shinichilala, Vermillion Skies, StarGazer453, and Soot.**

**As always, I enjoy reading your reviews! It gives me more encouragement. Hopefully, with all those who haven't sent a review yet, I hope you do so. I don't bite.**

**Also, sorry it took me a bit to post this chapter.**

**Enjoy~**

**

* * *

**The aura was thick and dark, engulfing everything in the kitchen and all Alfred could do was stare at Ivan with wide eyes.

'I think I'm going to Hell…' the American thought to himself. Now he was starting to regret ever leaving the kitchen. Why couldn't he just stay out of trouble just once? Especially now since his life was in danger. Ever since he had been brought aboard, it was like every turn he took there was someone out to get him. At points, like now, he missed living in the quiet town with his brother, though he had to stay alive…somehow.

Then, his blue eyes followed the Russian as the tall man grabbed what looked like to be a long faucet pipe from near the sink. It looked a little old and seemed to have bloody spots dotting the silver metal. Alfred gulped, figuring out that the pipe wasn't an ordinary one.

Ivan stood with his eyes narrowing down on the smaller man. He was blocking the door and gripped the weapon in his hand, ready to strike the other down. Alfred's eyes glanced around, looking for some form of protection or a weapon of sorts, but it seemed as if luck wasn't on his side one again.

"I'm not going to kill you, but you'll probably be wishing you were dead soon enough," the Russian said in an even voice. The pipe was then raised and the Americans breath stopped as it came crashing down. Somehow, he dodged and the pipe ran through a wooden table that held a couple glass bowls that were now broken. Pieces of porcelain glass were now strewn about the kitchen floor.

Ivan gritted his teeth a bit as he looked towards the blonde. Without any hesitation, he made another swing which was faster than the first. The American ducked, but he could feel the wind as the pipe just barely missed him, making his spine shiver.

Then, a large piece of white glass caught his eye and without thinking, he grabbed it and held it firmly in his hand, but not enough to cut him.

To the Russian, it was a feeble attempt at trying to win this fight since he was sure that that piece of glass would be of no use. Maybe he was too cocky, but no one had stood up to him for long.

The weapon was swung again, but this time Alfred had some sort of plan. It wasn't much, but it would let him live a little longer.

He dodged to the side again, but lunged and embedded the piece of glass into Ivan's leg, making the other curse loudly and swing again. It almost hit, but Alfred was out the door, running.

Alfred didn't know where he was going, but all he could think about was grabbing the Italian brothers and getting off the ship somehow. Maybe he could take one of the lifeboats and navigate his way back home. Even though he wasn't good at it, it was better than staying on the pirate ship at the moment.

As the blonde turned another corner, he stopped when he almost ran into the Japanese male he had seen earlier in the dining room. They seemed to stare at each other for a minute before the two could hear footsteps.

"Alfred…I don't like playing hide and seek…" the voice said, belonging to Ivan. Panic rose again, but before he could decide his next move, the smaller man took him by the arm and dragged him into another room, shutting the door.

"Get in the trunk," the other said. The American looked at him with a confused expression, but when he heard the footsteps get closer to the door, he decided that it was probably best to follow the others advice.

The trunk was quite large and filled with expensive silks that had beautiful patterns on them. It also smelled of exotic perfume that almost made his nose itch. He wanted to sneeze as he closed the lid, but he held his nose, listening as a knock came on the door.

"Oh, hello Kiku, have you seen that American around here?" Ivan asked as he glanced around the room. Alfred was able to see through the keyhole and he could tell that the Russian was out to kill. The dark aura was still surrounding him and he was surprised that the other man was remaining relatively calm.

"I'm sorry, but I haven't. If I do, I'll be sure to tell you," he replied. Ivan gave a nod before looking around the room once again and then leaving, closing the door behind him. Alfred soon lifted the lid and sneezed rather loudly while getting out of the perfume scented trunk.

"Uh…thanks for helping there, Kiku?" Alfred told him.

The black haired male gave a small nod. "Your name was Alfred, correct?"

The American nodded back to him. "Yup, that's me. So…why did you help me?"

"…I don't like Ivan either," he replied.

"Kiku, why is he in here?"

* * *

Mathew didn't know what to think when he saw two men, dressed in military uniforms, say that he was to come with them at once. Of course, he didn't get a say in the matter when they practically dragged him to the carriage.

He sat on the opposite end of them, nervous as to what they wanted. His first thought was that it had to do something with Alfred. What happened to him? Did he defeat Arthur Kirkland somehow? Or did he…

Mathew shook his head not wanting to think of such grim thoughts. Trying not to worry about them was another thing.

"Were here," one of the men said as the carriage stopped. When all three of them exited, Mathew looked at the large mansion in front of him. Honestly, it looked more like a Roman palace. If it wasn't for the two other men pushing him, he would've probably stared at it longer.

The blonde was led through a series of halls and doors and Mathew wished he could look at it all without being rushed. Finally, they stopped in front of two large doors which opened to reveal another large room.

Inside, men were all sitting at a round table, talking while some were arguing about a matter Mathew had no idea about. One of the men beside him cleared his throat, making them all stop and look at him. Now he could finally see all their faces, especially Governor Rome, who was at the head of the table.

It wasn't the first time the he had seen the older man. He was usually in parades with a smile on his face, and sometimes a girl or two on each arm, with also his two grandsons. Now, the smile was gone and he seemed serious. It was a rare thing to see really and it almost made Mathew back away from him since he seemed so much more intimidating now.

"Why are you bringing some stranger into my house?" The Governor asked.

The two men looked at each other before one of them spoke. "You told us to bring him here."

"Did I? Well, the boy seems rather meek so it was no wonder I forgotten. Anyway, bring him here."

The two did as they were told and left Mathew to sit amongst the others. He felt so small and wanted to shrink until they couldn't see him. It was an ability he was able to do before, but it seemed the one time he didn't want to be noticed, he was.

"What's your name again?" Governor Rome asked.

"It's...its Mathew, sir," he whispered, hoping he wouldn't sound disrespectful towards the other.

"Mathew? So it would be Mathew Jones then, right?"

The blonde shook his head, "No, Mathew Williams."

The Governor tilted his head, looking a bit confused, but then shrugged. "Well, to the more important matter. I've brought you here to tell you that your brother was kidnapped along with my grandsons. It seems that Arthur Kirkland had-"

"My brother w-was kidnapped?" Mathew asked, surprised. It was like his heart leapt out of his chest. He looked as if the news hadn't even sunk in yet.

'Kidnapped…? Alfred was kidnapped…by Arthur Kirkland…' he said in his head while he sunk in his chair.

"I'm sorry Mr. Williams," a voice said, making him lift his head a little. It was the German man who was the captain of the ship Alfred was on. He looked ragged and worn with circles under his eyes. Ludwig's hair was also not as neat as usual. It was like he was looking at someone else.

"I was so sure that I had mapped out the perfect voyage. It took me weeks! Look what happened! That damn English bastard still got them!"

With those words, he slammed his fists on the table, gritting his teeth and almost seemed as if he was about to go on a rampage. The other men didn't say a word and some looked away. That was the exception for a white haired male who put his hand on his brother's shoulder.

"There's no point in beating yourself over it, West. We got to take action now! The more time we stall, the more we lose them," Gilbert told them. Then he looked towards Mathew with glaring eyes. "And you, if you ever blame my brother for this, you'll be joining your brother in the sea."

Mathew's eyes widened at what that meant. It meant Alfred was dead and would never come back to him. It meant that he was now alone and had no one left.

"Admiral Beilschmidt! There was no need for that! We still don't know the condition of my grandsons and his brother yet," The Governor said.

"Well, given his past history, they won't last long. His target was probably your grandsons, not some idiot American," the Admiral replied back.

"So…he could be alive?" Mathew asked.

The two looked at him, but only the Roman nodded to him. "Don't lose hope Mr. Williams."

* * *

Alfred and Kiku looked towards the door.

"Ivan was about to kill him, so I brought him here, Yao."

The Chinese man with the pony-tail tilted his head a little as he looked at Alfred. He then smiled at him, "I see. Would you like some tea then, aru?"

"Hell no! What is with this ship and tea? Don't you guys have any coffee around here?" Alfred asked.

"Coffee? I highly doubt. What's wrong with tea anyways? We have the best on board, aru," Yao replied, almost like he took a little offense to the American's dislike for tea.

"My brother made me try once and it was disgusting."

"You have a brother?" The Chinese man asked.

Alfred gave a nod, "Yeah…" he replied, like he felt guilty, which he did. Mathew was back at home, probably waiting for a letter about how well he was doing and what was going on while he was on board. The younger sibling was probably worried sick about him right now.

'What kind of brother am I?' he thought to himself. Then, he was brought back from his thoughts when a cup of tea was placed in front of him.

"It's herbal tea. It'll make you feel better," Kiku replied.

The American's face contorted, "No, it'll just make me puke."

The Japanese kept holding the cup in front of him, looking rather stubborn. Alfred gave a stubborn look back, but it seemed as if Kiku won the round since he grabbed the cup and held it in his hand.

"Kiku and I are also brothers. We've known each other for quite a long time, right Kiku?" Yao asked, giving a hopeful look towards the other.

There was an awkward pause after Yao had stated that they were brothers, until the younger male replied with a simple, "Sure."

It seemed to have annoyed Yao a bit, but it seemed as if this sort of thing happened all the time. Alfred then looked at the tea and sighed, before deciding to take a drink. He held his nose and downed it as much as he could.

"It still tastes like crap!"

Yao sighed before hearing a knock on the door. They all looked when it started to open.

"Causing trouble again, are we?"


	5. A Little Excitment

**Thank you Soot, otaku no baka, Rashiq, StarGazer453, shinichilala, and Ain soph auir for reviewing the last chapter. It's all because of your encouraging reviews that this story keeps going.**

**For those who have never given a review, please do so. It doesn't have to be nothing fancy, but short and sweet if you wish.**

**Enjoy~**

**

* * *

**"It's not my fault you put me with a homicidal cook! The bastard was trying to kill me!" Alfred yelled at the captain, who didn't look like he was listening.

"It's true Captain Kirkland," Kiku added, but it didn't seem to help the American's case.

"Well, maybe he should have. It would have saved me a lot of trouble. I can't have a rebellious idiot running a muck on board my ship. However, I don't want a bloody mess either," he replied.

Then, Thomas and Ian had appeared behind him, approaching Alfred, ready to grab him, but Alfred stood up and was ready to defend himself against the two as best as he could.

The two Asian men also stood up, looking like they were going to help, but they were awfully hesitant. It also seemed as if they could read the Briton's mind on what he was planning, but the blonde still had no idea what was in store for him.

"W-Wait a minute, aru, there has to be some other way. Give him another chance and put him with us. We'll make sure he stays out of trouble," Yao pleaded with him.

"I'm not getting another migraine from him!" Arthur scoffed. "The best thing to do is get rid of him. It'll save us a lot of trouble. Besides, he wasn't supposed to be here anyways."

"You're going to kill me!" Alfred yelled, as he was trying to punch Ian in the jaw, but it seemed the two were overpowering him. The two Asians looked at each other, soon giving up all hope on saving their new friend.

"Took you long enough to figure it out, stupid American. Yao, Kiku, tell the rest of the crew to report on deck. I'm sure they'll appreciate a little entertainment," the captain ordered.

* * *

It was another sunny day, with large fluffy clouds dotting the blue sky. It was one of those days when people went outside and enjoyed themselves.

However, when your hands are tied behind your back and pirates were urging you to jump off a plank of wobbly wood, you wouldn't be enjoying any day. That was the kind of day Alfred F. Jones was facing.

Every crew member was there, even the Russian cook, who still held his bloody faucet pipe. They all kept shouting at him to jump to his death, but the American was frozen in place. Never before had the ocean looked so deadly.

Then, the Swiss man pushed him roughly on the back by his rifle. Alfred stumbled a bit, making them all hold their breath, but he held his footing, making them even more impatient. He even looked down at the salty water below to see if he could see any shark fins swimming around him. However, there were none, but he still gulped anyway.

"I can't believe this…they're really going kill him!" Feliciano cried, holding onto his brother. Lovino didn't know what to say. He couldn't believe that this could be the end of their only friend on this ship. If he was gone, it would only be him and his younger sibling and they would be left to fend off for themselves. It made him worried, especially with the kind of crew that was on board.

"Lovino, we have to do something. We can't let Alfred die," Feliciano pleaded. "Well, what do you suggest?" he replied, but a hand was placed on both of their shoulders. "There is nothing ye can do," Thomas said as he placed his head in-between them. "The lad is fish bait," he said, giving a small grin as the younger Italian whimpered.

"Come on! Move it!" The Swiss ushered again, but Alfred stayed put, hoping by some miracle, his life would be spared again. Then, Ivan stepped on the board and made it wobble even more. "Go on little Alfred, I'm sure the waters fine," he taunted.

"H-Hey, stop that!" Alfred shouted back at him as he fought to stay on. The pirates just laughed at him until the Austrian shouted, "Captain! It's the Frenchman Francis Bonnefoy!"

Arthur, who was silent during the American's punishment, instantly shot to life as he looked in the distance to see the ship that was heading towards them.

"Damn that wanker!" he said turning around. "Well? What are you all waiting for? To your stations!" Arthur barked at them. In a flash, the crew forgot all about Alfred and the two Italians as they scrambled to their captains demands.

Alfred stood on the plank of wood as he saw the other boat approaching. He felt frozen in place until he felt that someone else was on the plank of wood, making him panic a bit at the thought of falling off. Then, the back of his shirt was grabbed and he was tugged off the plank, a little surprised the wood didn't break, but rather thankful to.

"Perhaps we'll have to deal with you later," Arthur growled as he dragged the American to the brig and threw him into a cell. Feliciano and Lovino were also thrown in to by Thomas. Quickly locking it, the captain, along with his subordinate, made their way back to the deck, leaving the three hostages alone.

"You're still alive Alfred! You're still alive! My prayers came true!" Feliciano cried as he hugged the other man. The blonde smiled and took a deep breath, thankful that he could still breathe in the first place, unless the younger Italian planned to keep hugging him any longer. "Yeah, but when this fights over, you're probably going to be their celebration entertainment," Lovino said.

"Don't say that! Why do you have to be so mean Lovino?" Feliciano whined.

"Why do you have to be such a crybaby?" The other Italian argued.

"You're a crybaby to!"

"Am not!" he shouted, ready to hit the other.

"Okay, okay that's enough!" Alfred shouted as he tried getting his hands free from the ropes. "Now, one of you, find me something sharp so I can cut these ropes off."

"Fine…" Lovino grumbled as he tried looking around their cell, or anything that he could possibly reach, along with Feliciano, but it seemed there was nothing that would help with breaking the bonds.

"H-Hey Lovino?" Feliciano asked as they searched around the cell, looking under a pile of hay that was supposed to be some sort of bed.

"What?" he replied, frustrated at not finding anything.

"Didn't that guy say Francis Bonnefoy?"

The older sibling stopped for a moment and blinked. "I think so."

The younger Italian instantly got a big smile on his face. "Big brother Francis is going to save us! We can finally go home and have pasta!" he shouted happily.

Then, a loud crack shook them, making Feliciano cling to Alfred once again. "I don't want to die! I don't want to die!" he cried. Among his cries, they could hear the men above shouted and the firing of guns and cannons. Lovino and Alfred didn't move, but the other Italian was shouting pleas as he clung onto the American for dear life.

It seemed the battle had begun.

* * *

On deck, the battle was raging. Swords clashed, guns fired, and cannons boomed. The air was smoky and sometimes there was a cough or two, but they still fought, not ready to give in to the other side.

Arthur pierced his sword through another uniformed man, quickly sliding it out of the dead soldier's flesh to find his next target. When he turned, his eyes instantly narrowed and his teeth were bared. The man in his sights grinned at him and almost seemed to be chuckling at the pirate captain.

"My, my, you're as violent as ever mon ami," the Frenchman said.

"Like your any better, you frog!" Arthur spat back.

The other just grinned wider at him, brushing off the small insult. "I am better than you, my dear Arthur. Sooner or later, you'll meet your death at the gallows, along with your little group of miscreants. I wonder…do you think they have tea in Hell?"

Arthur gritted his teeth as he ran towards him, sword raised and ready to strike. "I'll send you to Hell first Francis!"

Right before the Englishmen could slash away at him, Francis blocked his sword with his own. They were deadlocked, but it seemed the taller man was also stronger and was able to push back the pirate a little. However, Arthur broke the deadlock and swung his sword towards Francis's neck, but he leaned back just in time.

The two stepped away from each other as the Frenchmen rubbed his neck a little. "Not wasting anytime, are you?"

The Briton huffed and soon they were charging at each other again, swinging their swords, while blocking the other from cutting them. They seemed to ignore the bigger battle that was going on between their crews, who didn't look like they were about to stop fighting either.

* * *

Mathew was made to walk home from the Governor's house. His eyes looked at the evening sky and the ocean that was now glittering from the orange sun. The town seemed peaceful and under normal circumstances, the blonde would be enjoying himself, but with the inner turmoil churning inside of him, everything felt numb.

"Have hope Mr. Williams…" Mathew repeated to himself, though the sentence didn't lift his sprites or give him any reassurance. In fact, it only reminded him of how dim Alfred's situation was. His brother was in the hands of the infamous pirate Arthur Kirkland and he doubted that he would keep the American on board since his original target was probably the two Italian grandsons.

As he walked down the hill and into the small harbor town, the gloomy atmosphere followed him. Some people watched as he walked by, while some ignored him, busy with their own lives. However, a woman who was just standing up from her garden saw Mathew and blinked at him.

"Is something wrong Mr. Williams?" she asked as she walked to her fence, wiping off some dirt on her blue dress. The girl had long dark hair, tied into pig-tails and almost seemed to have a French accent in her voice.

Mathew jumped a little when he heard the others voice, getting out of his world and back to Earth for a moment. "Oh, uh, I'm good," he said quickly, before walking a bit more briskly.

"W-Wait!" she said to him as she opened her fence door and caught up to him, touching the younger man's shoulder. The girl, who was originally from Seychelles, looked him in the eyes and almost pled with him to tell her what was wrong.

"What's wrong? You can tell me, please?"

"Angelique…I-I don't really want to talk about it…" he told her.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, a tear escaped and slid down his face, even though he tried to hold it back. Angelique reached up to brush it off, but before she could, the blonde started to run, leaving her to stand there bewildered.

Mathew ran until he reached his home, shutting the door and sliding down on his back into a crumpled heap. Now there was no one there to see him cry. He could cry all he wanted without anyone bothering him.

"Alfred…how could you? You were supposed to come back and be a hero…how could you do this to me?"

* * *

Arthur and Francis kept clashing at each other, both men trying to get the upper hand and finally winning the fight, though it seemed as if they were evenly matched.

"Just give it up pirate! You're doomed anyways!" Francis yelled as made another swing.

"You're the one that's doomed here. If you haven't caught me yet, you won't catch me now," Arthur replied back.

"Captain Bonnefoy, we must retreat!" a man yelled at him.

The Frenchmen blocked the pirate's sword before looking at his fellow soldier, who was holding a torn up arm while still trying to fight off another pirate's attack. As he clashed with the other once again, he took quick glances around deck, seeing how many of his men had fallen. He didn't want to risk losing his whole crew, so he gritted his teeth and did something he really didn't want to do.

"Everyone, fall back!" he ordered.

"What's wrong Francis? Scared to die?" Arthur taunted.

"Non, as if I'd ever be scared of you," Francis replied. Then, putting all of his strength into a final swing, he was actually able to hit the Englishmen in the arm, causing him to cuss loudly and drop his sword.

Francis then went to the railing, grabbing a rope and smiling back at the injured man.

"Au revoir Monsieur Kirkland, may we meet again!" he said to him, before escaping on board his own ship.


	6. VOTE NOW

This isn't a update like I know most of you want. Hopefully you're not too angry with me, but all I can really give you is an apology at this point.

I was originally going to wait to post this, but I decided sooner would be better. You've waited too long already.

Basically this is to tell you of the poll on my page. I've had this idea to rewrite this story. The idea is to try and make it better and see if I improved at all as a writer. Some things will change, but not enough to effect the plot that much. I will, however, be keeping up the original chapters and just starting the new story right after the last one. Also, I will try to make the chapters longer and if you have a suggestion and I like it, I'll put it in the story and give you credit at the end.

So, please vote on my profile and I'll post another update on Sept. 8. Voting will be done and I'll begin with the story once again.


	7. RESULT

This was supposed to be posted yesterday. Sorry.

Anyway, the result of the poll…

It has been decided that I will be re-writing it. Hopefully for those who have voted 'no' will give it a chance. The first re-written chapter of the story will be posted on Sept 14. Hope you like it!


	8. Chapter: 1

**I know it's late, but I was never good at deadlines.**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy the new re-written version. I'm going to try to make chapters longer and have a couple more details in them. Not too much though since it's fun to leave it to the imagination a bit.**

**Also, just like before, no accents. When people write in accents, it makes it a bit harder to read sometimes.**

**Plus, some characters have been removed. Having too many characters seems to take away from the main ones.**

**Another thing, if you do review on a chapter, I'll put your name on the next one, just like before as a thanks.  
**

**Don't worry, I'll also combine some of the chapter so it'll go faster to the point where I left off on the old story. This is just the first.  
**

* * *

It was beautiful.

That was all Alfred's mind could say as he looked upon the grand ship Hetalia. It seemed to glisten in the sun and the smell of the ocean air filled his lungs. Even as the shouting's of crew members rang about, they seemed to fade away.

This was finally the day Alfred F. Jones would set sail onto the vast ocean; beginning his life as a sailor and hoping to turn Captain of his very own ship. Even though he was supposed to be helping the other crew, he continued to dawdle around the dock, admiring the first ship he'd be sailing on so he could commit it to memory. He wanted to remember his first after all so maybe one day, when he got famous as a Captain, they would write a book about him or something.

However, it seemed that the only people who ever got famous nowadays were the ones who brought a pirate to justice.

Pirates were one the reasons Alfred wanted to sail in the first place. Mainly though, it was because of his father. Andrew Jones was the Captain of the ship called America. Alfred remembered when his dad would be gone for days and the money was poor. However, when he grew in ranks, life became easier. Though, it was when he brought in a pirate that things were really good.

It made him really proud of his dad and Mr. Jones brought in a couple more pirates, almost acting as some sort of bounty hunter.

Yet, it was a pirate that took Andrew's life as well.

The pirate was still caught and hanged, but this time Alfred went to the hanging at the square. Usually he didn't, but this time was personal. As he looked at the pirate with a noose around his neck, Alfred realized that with his father gone, there was no one to take his place. His father was a hero in their town and he decided that he would keep the hero statues going. Besides, someone had to bring those pirates to justice and who better?

After the hanging, he signed up for the navy.

His mother, Carolyn, was distressed when she found out, but supported him nonetheless and left him with a teary-eyed good-bye as the long awaited day finally came.

"Jones!" Alfred jumped a little when he heard his name shouted, almost right next to his ear. Brought back to the present, he looked at the angry man who was the second in command. Alfred stood straight for attention, feeling a little embarrassed at the moment.

"Yes sir?" he asked.

"Why are you not helping the rest of the crew? You are part of this voyage, am I right?" the man sneered. Right from the start, Alfred didn't like the man. His name was George Grant, but it should've been changed to sir since that was all anyone was allowed to call him. Except for the captain of course.

"Yes sir," he said and then scurried off to help load the rest of the supplies. As he started picking up some small crates, he heard the shouts of another angry person.

"I've told you already! I don't want to go, dammit!"

"But brother…"

"No! I don't want to go on the sea! It'll just make me sick anyway."

Alfred looked and saw two people who looked rather identical to each other. One had his arms folded tightly and who was also glaring at the other, who was pouting. This must be the Vargas brothers, Alfred thought.

The two brothers were supposed to take a vacation of sorts. Lord Rome, who was their grandfather, wanted them to explore the world a bit. He also hoped that maybe they would toughen up a little so they would be better choices for when he had to choose a successor.

Even though it was like an escort voyage, Alfred figured he had to start somewhere.

"Jones! Get back to work!" Mr. Grant's voice hollered at him again, making Alfred almost drop the crates he held.

* * *

No matter how many times he told himself he wouldn't, he did it anyway.

Arthur's head throbbed as his eyes tried to blink open, but they remained stubbornly closed. It was the start of another hangover as his body slowly started to wake up. He could tell he was on the floor, holding an empty bottle which used to be filled with rum.

He tried and tried again to stay sober, but after robbing a ship and finding quite a bit of the drink, he couldn't refuse.

Besides, he deserved a reward, but not a hangover.

After lying on the ground for a minute or so, Arthur finally sat up and clutched his aching head. Looking around, he was thankful to find himself in his own quarters. Though, he never did drink with the rest of the crew. It was just asking to by thrown off. He kept his door locked when he went through bottle after bottle of the poison, always regretting it when he woke up.

Standing up, he suddenly felt his stomach lurch and he instantly ran to the nearest bucket, emptying out the contents. When he felt that it was good enough, he opened a window and dumped it out into the sea. Good riddance.

Going into his chest, he pulled out a clean white shirt and black pants, putting them on along with his long green coat that went down to his knees. He found his hat on the desk, covering up some maps that had notes and other drawings on them. Re-lacing his boots and putting on his gloves with some of his favorite rings, he unlocked the door and made his way to the deck.

He found his crew already working on their duties, but the bright sun made his head feel a bit worse. Walking toward the wheel, he found that it was in the hands of Toris, who quickly shuffled away from it.

"Good morning Captain."

Arthur gave a nod, "Have there been any sightings?"

Toris shook his head, "No sir, but we are on course like you've asked."

"Good, you may leave now," he replied, not turning his head as the shaky man left behind him, back to the kitchen.

As long as they stayed on course and nothing came their way, they should be intercepting the Hetalia in a couple of days. It was by luck that he had found out that Lord Rome was sending his grandsons out on a little adventure. Even though he didn't like the idea of taking them hostage at first, it stewed in his mind awhile and it was starting to turn out like a grand idea.

No one had caught Arthur so far, not even close. Taking the Hetalia would be easy, that much was certain. He would play on Rome's emotions by taking his beloved grandsons. Then, like most hostage takers, ask for quite a bit of gold. There would also be fame.

Likewise, there would probably be a bigger bounty on his head, but it didn't scare the captain at all. Let them come. It would be easier for ships to come to him then going the other way around.

* * *

This really wasn't what Alfred was expecting when he enrolled for this voyage.

He expected some sort of adventure, but all he found himself doing was cleaning. He figured that would be part of the deal, but it seemed that was all he was doing. He wanted some action.

Nonetheless, he tried keeping a positive attitude, hoping that if he showed he did a good job, maybe they would give him a real chance. Besides, didn't heroes always start out crappy? This would just be the start of his book, but it would be better.

Finally, a shout came that announced it was time for dinner.

Alfred quickly put away his mop and bucket, getting in line. The food wasn't bad, but not good either. He really missed his mom's cooking, but he would endure.

Getting his stew and a couple of pieces of bread, he sat down and started stuffing his face. He talked to a couple of his crewmates, but their voices were being drowned out by the brothers once again.

"Waaah! This isn't good at all! I thought there was supposed to be pasta!" Feliciano whined as he practically cried into his stew.

"Grandpa just told you that so you would be more eager to go! Stop whining! You're giving me a headache, dammit!"

However, Feliciano just whined more while Lovino continued to complain about it. It was amazing to see two people look so alike, but act completely different.

After dinner, Alfred had to finish cleaning before going to bed. The crew all had their own hammocks, which were in rows of threes. He was given the top one which made him have to climb a little to get up there, but it was nothing he couldn't handle. Taking off his light blue coat and boots, he set them on the shelf next to the others, keeping his white shirt and pants on before finally going to bed.

* * *

"Captain! It's the Hetalia!"

Arthur perked up as he heard knocks on his door and one of his crew shouting through it. Putting down the map he was looking at, he quickly got up and put his coat on, opening the door.

"Captain, we've spotted the Hetalia," the man repeated almost like he was out of breath. Arthur took the spyglass and followed him to the starboard side of the ship. The sun was setting, but as he looked through the spyglass, he could clearly see it was the ship he was after, making him grin.

"I'm sure everyone remembers the plan. When it gets completely dark, we'll take them on."

The man nodded and started spreading the news when the plan would be executed out. The wait was almost crushing Arthur, but he knew how to be patient. Soon, the first part of his plan would be finished and it would be smooth sailing from there. If Lord Rome wanted his two precious grandsons alive, then he would have to pay. It would put a fine mark on his record as a pirate.

* * *

There were shouts everywhere. Alfred awoke quickly, fully alert as he saw the other men run about, some putting on their coats while trying to run up on deck. The voices that were yelling 'pirate' really caught his attention. He ran to put his boots on while getting his coat as well. It took him no time at all since they had practiced for such things.

This could be his chance. His chance to prove that he was a hero.

As he went to the sword rack, he heard a man yelling, "Protect the cargo!" This really meant that he wanted them to protect the Lord's sons.

He really didn't want to do it, but maybe if he protected the brothers, he might get more recognition. The thought made him speed down to where the two shared a room and he opened the door.

"Get out!" This was followed by a tomato aimed at his head. Alfred dodged, "I'm not a pirate!" he replied.

"Oh, thank goodness! Someone has come to save us!" Feliciano cried happily from behind his brother. Lovino just scoffed.

"It's about time," he grumbled.

Alfred rolled his eyes, but closed the door, locking it. He held the sword firmly as he stared at it, daring anyone to try and come in. Somewhat hoping a pirate would try and break open the door so he could show his heroics.

It was growing quieter.

There was so much yelling, but it seemed to quiet down as time went on. There were still some shouts, but there were no sounds of feet even close to the door. The crew were probably kicking pirate ass which made Alfred a little irritated that he didn't join the rest of the men on deck.

Plus, it didn't help that Feliciano kept whimpering and Lovino cursing under his breath.

Then, his ears perked up. There was the sound of boots making their way to the door. There was more than one pair coming and it was probably to tell them it was clear. Likewise, he held the sword tightly, ready to strike if needed.

The door handle started to fidget, before there was a knock. A voice on the other side said, "It's clear. The pirates have been defeated."

Alfred let out a breath, losing the tension and was being filled instead with disappointment. Feliciano started to cheer a little while Lovino just snorted, but it was clear he was relieved to.

Going to the door, he unlocked it and in a flash, the tip of a sword was pressed to his neck. He followed the blade to its owner, who was undoubtedly a pirate with his grubby face and smell. Alfred's eyes narrowed as the pirate grinned and said, "Gotcha, now, drop the sword."

The sword dropped to the floor and while the one pirate held Alfred at sword point, the other two rounded the brothers. Feliciano started to whimper, but Lovino wasn't even grumbling. He tried to glare at the pirates, but his face clearly stated that he was scared.

"Should we kill him?" One of the pirates asked.

"…nah. We'll bring him onboard. Maybe he can do some labor or something. Looks strong enough, but the captain will have the final say," the one pointing the sword said.

The other pirates had their swords out to and were currently bringing them on the deck. Alfred's eyes widened as he saw bodies littering the surface while some of the men were tied up. Pirates were going about, carrying crates, chests, or whatever else that seemed of value.

Anger was rising within Alfred, as well as disappointment. He was supposed to be the hero. Yet, here he was, not the hero and needed his own rescue. He wanted nothing more than to fight against them, but he was greatly outnumbered.

They went to the edge of the boat where they could see the pirate vessel right next to it. It seemed a little smaller than the boat they were on, but before Alfred could look more, a rope was put into his hands.

"I think you know what to do. No tricks or else."

Alfred narrowed his eyes more, but took the rope and went across to the other boat. He was quickly grabbed by two pirates and was being dragged somewhere.

It was the brig.

Thrown in and locked up, followed by the two brothers, Alfred clenched his teeth. How could this happen? It was supposed to be his time to shine! He should've been more careful opening the door, but his disappointment got the better of him.

Feliciano was crying, "We're going to die! I didn't even get any pasta! I surrender, I surrender! Please, don't kill me!"

"Shut up! Maybe if they kill you I'll get some peace!" Lovino yelled.

"How can you say that to your brother?" The whimpering boy asked, which only made him cry more. "My brother wants me to die! Even when I make him lots of pasta…why are you so cruel? !"

"I'll tell you-!"

"Will you both shut up!" Alfred yelled at the both of them, making the brothers blink. They were already kidnapped on a pirate ship, he didn't need them arguing.

"If we're going to make it through this, then we have to stick together," he told them.

The statement had no reaction until Feliciano smiled, "You think we can go back home then?"

Alfred gave a smile back, "Of course! I am a hero after all."

Lovino just scoffed and folded his arms again, wearing a frown. "Some hero…couldn't even save us when they came in the room."

Alfred glared a bit, but then he heard footsteps approaching. He looked toward the door of the jail and saw a blonde haired man, wearing a green coat, and looking down at him with narrowed eyes. The one next to him had brown hair, but was shaking and looking rather nervous.

"Toris, who's that?" the person asked, in a casual voice, but his expression seemed to darken.

"Um…well, you see…they brought him along since he was the one guarding them…thought he could be of some use," he replied.

"Use? He's dead weight! I asked to bring the Vargas brothers! Not some worthless child!"

"I am not!" Alfred yelled which made the two look back at him.

"Oh really? You sure look like it. I don't make a habit of killing children, and I don't want to start, but looks like I have no choice," he said, pulling out a gun.

As soon as the gun was pointed at his head, Alfred's eyes widened. Was he really going to die like this? By a pirate's hand just like his dad?

Yet, he felt another weight on him and saw Feliciano holding him tight and crying, "No, don't kill him! He's going to be our hero!"

It was silent for a moment before there was laughter.

"Hero? Well then…" the man said as he got closer to the bars and staring right into Alfred's blue eyes. It made Feliciano leave his side and stand behind him instead. "If you're so heroic, then you should be able to escape, bring me down, and go home with glory. Think you can do that, hero?"

Alfred glared at the other, "I don't think, I know."

The pirate gave a snort and turned around. "I'll keep you alive, only for amusement. Plus, I could use an extra hand around here."

"I'm not helping you!"

The gun was then pointed back at his head.

"If you want to stay alive and be the hero, then you'll play the game. The first rule is calling me Captain. Call me by another name, and see where it gets you."

The gun was pulled away again and soon the two were out of the brig, leaving the three hostages alone.

Alfred watched as they went before sitting down. Before he could even think, Feliciano came to his side, smiling a little.

"See? You still have a chance. Don't let him bring you down."

Alfred gave a small smile in return, "Thanks Feli."

Feliciano blinked when he knew his name, but on the Hetalia, everyone knew his name as well as his brothers, which made him realize…

"What's your name?"

"Alfred F. Jones, the hero."

* * *

"Um, Captain?"

"What Toris?" Arthur asked as he was looking at all the items brought from the Hetalia.

"What do you plan to do with him?" he asked.

The captain paused a bit before turning around and looking at the nervous man with a grin.

"To break him."


End file.
